


Playing Possum

by fenrislorsrai



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Gen, Not Really Character Death, Opossum, animal death but not really because its an opossum but this angel has no idea what an opossum is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fenrislorsrai/pseuds/fenrislorsrai
Summary: It was his first assignment on Earth. He'd never killed anything before.  He hadn't really wanted to fight this demon at all, and now it was DEAD and he was very, very SORRY and had no idea what to DO.Unfortunately (or fortunately) the not-as-dead-as-it-seemed-demon heard all this...For Angst Bingo- Mercy Kill/Faking Their Death square.
Comments: 21
Kudos: 30
Collections: GO Angst Bingo 2020





	Playing Possum

He’d never killed anything before. He’d seen dead things up close, unfortunately enough and could recognize the look of it. The strange twist of the body, the contorted face, the unblinking eyes. He hadn’t even been trying to hurt the demon really. And now... 

It had been a chance encounter while out scouting for water. He hadn’t expected to find a demon in the middle of the herd of deer at the water hole, quietly petting one. They’d locked eyes and Djizel had felt that flare of pain as their powers recognized each other. It was the first demon he’d seen up close and it stung in an entirely unfamiliar way. And then the demon had bolted away and Djizel had given chase with a shout. 

It had been an absolutely ridiculous impulse. He wasn’t even armed! But he was supposed to guard and bless this tribe and he was going to do his best! So he’d given chase after the smaller demon, who’d been surprisingly fleet of foot. But the head start didn’t last long and Djizel had plowed into it and they’d gone rolling in the ground. He’d felt the demon’s bones shifting and twisting beneath him as he’d grabbed it. He had felt as if his own flesh was being ripped at to have that sort of demonic miracle happening right up against him. He probably should have flung it away to stop the pain, but he’d pulled it to his chest to try and do _something_... And now, looking at the still form in his arms, he’d clearly discorporated it. 

He wasn’t entirely sure what kind of creature it was. This wasn’t one he’d seen before, but he’d only be Earth a few months. Even now he sometimes ran into unfamiliar animals as the tribe he was watching over moved around. It barely weighed anything at all. It just flopped there bonelessly. He’d probably broken its back. He’d seen that happen to rats a few times now and this looked like a very big rat of some sort. It had been horrible to watch. It felt worse to have done it. 

“I’m sorry. I… oh.” He sat down heavily with it in his lap. What should he DO with it? It was sort of an animal. It was sort of a person. It was certainly demonic. It might have some sort of residual demonic energy to it. But then it would probably still hurt to hold it and it mostly felt strangely soft and empty of life. He picked it up and held it close to his chest, feeling a strange sensation in his eyes. He ran a hand over its pale fur as if he could comfort it and himself. 

Should he bury it? Would burying it with a ritual prevent it from being re-incorporated properly? He really wasn’t sure. He hadn’t exactly gotten directions on how to fight evil. Just gotten told to keep these people free of demonic influence. He hadn’t even been told exactly how to recognize a demon, just that he’d know it when he felt it. He’d felt a strange residue of power a few times that made him ache and burn in strange and frightening ways. He’d never directly connected that sensation with the one who made it before now. He’d never actually _seen_ a demon until today. He hadn’t fought in the War, hadn’t even been created then, so demons were just things that existed in stories. They were _monsters_. You fought them, but they weren’t things you could hurt. Or kill. 

But it had been frightened of _him_. It had been trying to get away. It had run rather than fight and now… 

He was crying in earnest now, great wracking sobs. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to fight. He didn’t want to kill things. He didn’t want to hurt things. He didn’t want to do _any_ of this. And now he’d been the one to strike the first blow. Would the next demon he saw strike back, to even the score? Would he be the one to be discorporated next time? Would it hurt? How often would he be sent back to do this over and over again? 

He only realized he’d been babbling all this aloud when he felt something brush against him. It sent a shiver across his wings where they were folded away. It didn’t feel painful, just unfamiliar. Then he realized something was gripping his thumb and he looked down at the demon he’d had clutched to his chest to see it looking back at him. It was very much _alive_. 

“I… I’m…” 

“You’re sorry.” 

He nodded mutely, unsure what was about to happen. He didn’t think he could fight back properly. Maybe being discorporated would be better. He’d get sent back to Heaven. Then he’d just stay there. He wouldn’t have to do this anymore. Wouldn’t have to feel that pain anymore every time he felt a demon’s powers touch him. 

He suddenly realized there was no pain. It’s paws were wrapped around his thumb and there was no pain. They were touching and there was no flare of power between them. 

“I’m… I’m going to put you down.” He wanted to fling it away in fright but wasn’t sure it would let go of him. 

It made a noise of agreement and he carefully put it down on the ground. It let go off him and seemed a bit unsteady on its feet. 

“Did I hurt you?” He shouldn’t be asking. He was _supposed_ to hurt demons. 

“Stung a lot. Nobody’s tackled me before. Usually I manage to play dead first.” 

“Play dead?” 

“Pretend to be dead. I am very good at it. The _bes_ t actor.” It opened its mouth a little to show teeth, giving a very human grin on a body that shouldn’t allow it. 

“I really thought I had discorporated you.” 

“Other angels did too.” It gave a little wiggle of its shoulders and grinned again. Then fixed dark eyes on his face “None of _them_ cried. None of _them_ were _sorry_.” 

“I’m not a very good angel.” He felt very small and like he’d already messed this up. 

It crept back closer to him and sat up to rest paws on his knee. “I _could_ have let you think I was dead.” 

“Why didn’t you?” 

“You tackled me. It _hurt._ The rest… didn’t. It’s been a long time since it didn’t. You really didn’t want to hurt me. You just got carried away. And then you didn’t know what to do. You were scared. Of me. Honestly, _look_ at me.” It was weird and a little ungainly and other than some pointy teeth, wasn’t a very intimidating animal _at all_. 

“I’m bad at this.” He hunched his shoulders up around his ears. 

It sniffed at him for a moment, the whiskers tickling over his hand. “You’re just a baby, aren’t you?” 

“NO.” 

There was a ripple of uncomfortable but no longer painful power and then the demon was back in human from. It was laughing and slapping its leg in mirth and seemed even less scary. 

“You need to learn to lie better than that. And I” It tapped it’s chest “am the best one to teach you.” 

“Are you lying about that?” 

“Of course I am!“ It put up its hands and grinned. It somehow seemed to have even more teeth in this form. “This will be great fun!” 

``It's not going to be fun, is it?” 

“Ah, but the best lies are the true ones.” 

“What does that _mean_?” 

“You’re going to find out.”  



End file.
